Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Price of Bought Passion : Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

“What’s going on here?” — our director, Mr. Koshev, asked sternly.He walked into our — or rather, his — laboratory, giving both Polina and me a displeased look, then turned his gaze toward my peacefully sleeping children.“Is this a daycare center now?”The tone of our boss was sharp and full of irritation. He didn’t raise his voice, but that oppressive, intimidating aura he radiated made it hard to breathe. Standing before him, any employee instantly lost the ability to speak. I opened my mouth in fear but didn’t manage to utter a single word — nor even think of a decent excuse.“Please, forgive us,” Polina started to justify herself, bravely taking the blame. “Don’t scold Victoria. It’s entirely my fault and responsibility. I had questions about the last batch, and I asked Victoria to help me, since I’ve never encountered anything like this before.”The man was visibly furious — his heavy, rapid breathing and tense expression gave him away. His sharp gaze wandered around the room a

I inhale the pleasant scent of blooming plum trees growing near my building with a full breath. I adore spring for its brightness, those incredible smells, and the unusual feelings inside, promising the beginning of something new and thrilling. Everything comes to life, and it fills you with a good mood and an exaggerated sense of optimism.On the fifth floor of our apartment building, someone has already started washing their windows ahead of time, while Uncle Vanya from the second floor has only now bothered to throw out his Christmas tree. The neighbor from the first floor is fussing in our flowerbed, loosening the soil where bright little flowers will soon sprout. The particularly active residents of the yard are painting the trees and the curbs with white lime. Everything is being renewed and pleases the eye.The end of April this year is delighting us with unusually warm days. I’d even say hot, but it’s very deceptive. It’s enough to take off your clothes, and a cool breeze will

By agreeing to go to the event with Dani, I had no idea what kind of headache I was signing myself up for. I thought I had a suitable outfit for this occasion, but I didn’t take into account one very screaming fact — I’m a breastfeeding mother of two children, and my current breasts simply do not fit into my old dresses anymore! And my hips have become… wider!Reluctantly, I had to accept the unpleasant truth that I needed to go shopping. And so I wouldn’t get bored and would have a good adviser, I suggested that Marina go with me. If there’s one thing she definitely knows, it’s beautiful clothes.My friend was delighted, energized by the upcoming shopping, and immediately took me under her wing. She announced that you don’t go to such events wearing just anything, and that we needed a good designer store.While we rushed through the mall toward our intended destination, I mentally estimated how much money I was going to lose in this session. Oh, Danil! You’ll owe me like a collective

It’s always nice to see a man lose the power of speech when you show up.But as we arrived at the venue, I was the one left speechless.We drove up to some kind of luxurious estate that practically screamed wealth and high society — to an indecent degree.I had thought my dress was expensive, but after seeing the women walking past us, I realized I didn’t fit into this environment at all. Their outfits cost ten times more than mine, and the stones on their elegant necks, ears, and fingers were worth more than my apartment… and my car.“Wow,” Danil muttered, taking in the surroundings. “Where do these people even get this much money?” He rubbed his temple thoughtfully. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not poor, I make good money, but these people…”“I earn pretty well too, but I feel like the poor relative in this crowd,” I agreed. “Like an ugly duckling that wandered into a group of swans…”“That’s where I disagree!” Danil turned to me and looked at me seriously. “You look absolutely stunning

Why is he staring like that?! As if I underpaid him and still owe him! Everything’s by the price list, even more.And anyway! I’m the one who should be glaring with outrage! He literally got me pregnant, the specialist… damn it! With two kids, mind you!His eyes scanned me, still burning with anger. And a thought crossed my mind—what if he knows about the kids? That’s why he’s angry. Angry that I gave birth, or angry that I didn’t tell him… Maybe I should tell him…But what’s the point? Do we even need a weekend dad who earns with his… body?I can already see it: in kindergarten or school, the kids get asked, “What does your dad do?” and they shyly reply, “Uh, he’s, like… here and there. Messing around. Trying to get somewhere.” Or even worse, they have to write an essay on “When I grow up, I want to be like my dad!” or “My dad is my role model in life.” And what about the school open house, where parents are invited to talk about their professions?!“Vicky, are you okay?” Danil asked